Pipe wrench having a pivoted and adjustable outer jaw



-Nov'. 30, 1948. R. D. BRYAN 2,455,041

PIPE WRENCH HAVING A PIVOTED AND ADJUSTABLE OiJTER JAW Filed Aug. 14, 1945 Patented Nov. 30, 1948 PIPE l/VRENCH HAVINGJA PIVOTED AND "JUSTABLE OUTER 'JAW Rochelle D. BryannGlenmoraiLa. Application August 14, 1945, Serial No. 610,799

It-is an object of this invention to provide a pipe wrench having means-wherebyit'may be speedily adjusted to grip pipes and the like of various sizes.

It is an object or this invention to provide a pipe wrench that can be constructed of few parts and at a low cost.

Other objects and advantages will be revealed in the detailed description made in connection with the accompanying drawings which forms a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of my new pipe wrench.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of one jaw of the wrench including its handle.

Figure 3 is a ide elevation of a follower adapted to be spring actuated.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the follower,

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a channelshaped yoke or clevis showing the teeth on the inside of its transverse wall, and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the yoke.

In the drawings is an illustration of one embodiment of my invention and it is appreciated that modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the essential combination or the salient features thereof.

In the specification and drawings the reference characters identify the particular parts and features thereof.

The jaw I is provided with a shank or stock 2 and a handle 3. The jaw 4 is provided with a shank 5.

The shank 2 and 5 extend in the same general direction in normally spaced paralle] relation.

The shank 2 carries a yoke B rockably mounted thereon within recesses l, 8' by a bolt or rivet l passing through aligned apertures in the shank 2 and the legs of the yoke E. The transverse wall 8 of the yoke 6 is provided with inwardly directed teeth 9. The shank 2 is also provided with bores 10, II to slidably receive springs l3, l5 and pins Hi, It and to guide and support the same axially in their reciprocating movements toward and from the other shank 5. The pins l2 and M are secured to and carry a follower member or saddle IB located between the shanks Z and 5.

The shank 5 is provided with outwardly directed teeth ll adapted to cooperate movably and adjustably with the teeth 9 of the yoke 6.

The yoke 5 slidably and adjustably embraces the shank 5.

The follower I5 is urged toward the shank 5 by the helical compression springs l3, IS.

The shank 5 is provided with a transverse en- .1 Claim. Cl. 81-103 .larg ement constituting a stop "I8 to prevent "the jremovalof the shank '5 and itsjaw t from the embrace-of the yoke 6.

The teeth 9 and H are substantially rectangular in section both longitudinally and transversely and are of such thickness that they will adjustably interengage without binding action. The longitudinal edges of the teeth may be slightly rounded off to facilitate the interengagement of the two sets of teeth. These rectangular teeth are capable of long wear since they have multiple engagement and since there are no sharp edges.

In order to assemble the wrench the springs l3, l5 and the pins i2, i l of the follower are inserted in the bores H], H of the shank 2. With these units in assembled position the yoke '6 is placed astride the shank 5 with the sets of teeth 9 and IT in interfitting relation and then the yoke 6 and the shank 5 are pressed over the follower i 6 against the tension of the springs l3, l5 until the apertures of the yoke 6 become aligned with the aperture of the shank 2. When such alignment is secured the rivet or bolt 1 is inserted and fastened against accident-a1 displacement. In this connection attention is called to the fact that the shank 5 and its jaw 4 are in captive relation because of the enlargement I8 which constitutes a stop and prevents the accidental separation of the shank 5 and its jaw 4 from the remainder of the wrench.

In the operation of the wrench the user adjusts the spacing of the jaws by grasping remote portions of the shank 5 and pressing such shank toward the handle shank until the sets of teeth 9 and I1 become disengaged, whereupon the shank 5 and its jaw 4 can be moved to any desired position relative to the jaw l or to a pipe or rod located between the jaws I and 4. The movement of the follower I6 is always rectilinear, being so guided by its pins I2, It and its springs I3, I5 extending into the parallel bores l0 and I l.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A quick acting pipe wrench comprising a relatively stationary jaw element comprising a shank stock terminating at its lower end in a handle, a fixed jaw on the upper end of said stock having an upper toothed jaw face arranged at right angles to said stock, a pair of vertically spaced bores opening through one side of said stock, said bores being parallel to said fixed jaw, helical springs fitting said bores and projecting axially beyond said one side of said stock, pins axially inserted in the outer ends of said helical springs and extending into said bores whereby said pins are yieldably restricted to axial movement in said bores parallel 3 to said fixed jaw and are permitted only limited lateral movement in said bores, a saddle extending between and fixed to the outer ends of said pins, said springs, pins and saddle being arranged relative to each other in a manner to maintain said saddle parallel to said stock and at right angles to said fixed jaw, a movable jaw element comprising a straight shank of rectangular cross-section having a jaw on its upper, end projecting laterally therefrom and having a toothed gripping face on its underside confronting and -co-extensive with said fixed jaw and extending at right angles to said straight shank, the side of said straight shank adjacent said shank stock of said stationary jaw element slidably engaging said saddle, the side of said shank of said movable jaw element remote from said shank stock being formed therealong with teeth, a U-shaped yoke having legs slidably engaging the opposite sides of said straight shank and pivotally engaging said shank stock, said yoke having a flat web portion, teeth on the inner surface of said flat Web portion to interengage with the teeth on said movable j-aw element shank and REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 220,134 French Sept. 30, 1879 678,959 Lavigne July 23, 1901 1,385,180 Lizak July 19, 1921 Brickley Oct. 26, 1943 

